Cabinet with sewing machine raising and lowering mechanisms



NOV. 13, 1951 CHASQN 2,575,045

CABINET WITH SEWING MACHINE RAISING AND LOWERING MECHANISMS- Filed Sept. 14, 1946 3 Sheets-Sheet l N k mm Nov. 13, 1951 CHASON 2,575,045

CABINET WITH SEWING MACHINE RAISING AND LOWERING MECHANISMS Filed Sept. 14, 1946 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 @aniel 31 @Zmosoru Nov. 13, 1951 D. H. CHASON 2,575,045 CABINET WITH SEWING MACHINE RAISING AND LOWERING MECHANISMS Filed Sept. 14, 1946 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 59m 36 my in mm gw u'enlroz/ @aniel c91 @ha/son/ Witneu w VA Patented Nov. 13, 1951 CABINET WITHVSEWING MACHINE RAISING AND LOWERING MECHANISMS Daniel H. Chason, Elizabeth, N. J., assignor to The Singer Manufacturing Company. Elizabeth, N. J., a corporation of New Jersey Application September 14, 1946, Serial No. 697,139

7 Claims.

1 This inventionrelates to sewing machine cabinets and more particularly to cabinets having a mechanism whereby a sewing machine can be lowered into the cabinet for storage or raised to a position atop the cabinet for use.

A primary object of the present invention is to provide an improved sewing machine cabinet in which the various parts are arranged for optimum safety, convenience and utility.

Another object of the invention is to provide a cabinet having an improved mechanism for raising and lowering a sewing machine.

A specific object of the invention is to provide an improved sewing machine raising and lowering mechanism arranged so that a single cabinet member provides the major rigid support afforded the mechanism.

Another specific object of the invention is to provide an improved sewing machine raising and lowering mechanism that will function properly regardless of minor dimensional inaccuracies caused by warping of the cabinet or improper installation.

Still another specific object of the invention is to provide an improved sewing machine raising and lowering mechanism in which the weight of the sewing machine, when in the sewing position, acts to maintain the machine in this position.

Other important objects of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description and appended claims.

For a complete understanding of the invention reference should be made to the accompanying drawings in which- Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of the sewing machine cabinet and the raising and lowering mechanism embodying the invention; the sewing machine platform being lifted slightly above sewing position of the machine;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional View of a portion of the cabinet and mechanism shown in Fig. 1, with the sewing machine platform in its normal raised position;

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken alon the line 3-3 of Fig. 1 and looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the raising and lowering mechanism, shown detached from the cabinet;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view taken along the line 55 of Fig. 3 and looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken through a lower portion of the sewing machine cabinet;

Fig. '7 is a longitudinal sectional view of a modified raising and lowering mechanism embodying the invention, with the sewing machine platform in its normal raised position;

5 Fig. Bis a transverse sectional view taken along the line 8-8 of Fig. '7 and looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 9-9 of Fig. 7 and looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary plan view taken along the line Iii-I0 of Fig. 7 and looking in the direction of thearrows; and I Fig. 11 is a fragmentary sectional view taken substantially along the line ll-ll of Fig. 7 and lookingin the direction of the arrows.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figs. 1 to 6 inclusive the numeral It indicates a sewing machine of any well known type arranged to be housed in a wooden sewing machine cabinet II that may be similar to the cabinet shown inDesign Patent No. 146,383, dated February 18, 1947, by J. L. Bay. A fixed horizontal cabinet-top l2, having a sewing machine receiving aperture I3, is supported by a pair of side legs I4 and I6, and a shelf I'I extends horizontally between the legs; being supported therefrom by a plurality of angle braces [8 held in place by wood screws I9. A back wall 2| and a front portion 2| are supported by the legs i l and Why any known means. The front portion 2| preferably is in the form of a pair of doors similar to those shown in the above mentioned design application. Also the aperture iii in the top l2 maybe closed, when the sewing machine is in the lowered position, by a detachable cover-top (not shown) but which preferably is oval shaped and similar to the cover-top shown in the Design Patent No. 146,383.

A raising and lowering mechanism 21, which is shown completely assembled in Fig. 4, is housed in the cabinet II. The upper angle-brackets 29, 30, 3|, 32 and 33 of the mechanism 21 are secured to the under surface 34 of the apertured table top It! by a plurality of screws 28. Each of the brackets 29, 30, 32 and 33 has a horizontal arm 36 and a vertically depending arm 31, the latter being bent and pointed to provide a horizontally disposed journal pin 38. The brackets 29 and 30, when properly spaced and secured to the table-top i2, pivotally carry a support or hoOkwperating-bar 39 on the pins 38. The central horizontal portion of the support 39 is in the form of a manuallyoperable angle bar, one web of which is apertured by an elongated hole 4|.

Each end of said apertured web is extended beyond the angled portion of the support and then is bent downwardly to form front and rear depending arms 42 and 43 respectively. Each of said arms is apertured as at 44 to receive one of the journal pins 38, and each depending arm is provided with at least'one supporting member in the form of a J-shaped hook 46. The lower end of the front arm 42 has a V-shaped inclined cam surface 41, the function of which will hereinafter appear. The lower end of the rear arm 43 is bent 90 degrees, twisted, and then formed into a pivot pin 48 for entering a hole in a releasing link 49.

In like manner, the brackets 32 and 33, when properly spaced and secured to the table-top l2, pivotally carry a support on their journal pins 38. The central horizontal portion of the support 5| is in the form of an angle bar, one web of which is notched by an elongated slot 52. Each end of said notched web in extended beyond the angled portion of the support and then is bent downwardly to form front and rear depending arms 53 and 54 respectively. Each of said arms is apertured as at 44 to receive one of the journal pins 38, and each depending arm is provided with a hook 46. The lower end of the rear arm 54 is bent 90 degrees, twisted, and then formed into a pivot pin 48 for entering a, hole in a releasing link 56.

The links 49 and 56 extend from opposite ends of the raising and lowering mechanism toward a central point, where holes 51 and 58, respectively in the links 49 and 56, are entered by the opposite pivot ends 59 and 68 of a link connector 6|, which'is pivotally mounted on a rivet 62. The rivet is carried by the angle bracket 3| which has already been shown to be attached to the table top by screws 28. A tension spring 63, Figs. 2 and 4, extends between an angled arm 64 of the bracket 3| and the end 59 of the link connector 6|, thereby biasing the connector 6|, the links 49 and 56, and the supports 39 and 5| to the closed position with the connector abutting a stop 8, as best shown in Figs. 2 and4.

I In addition to the hereinbefore described upper brackets 29, 36, 3|, 32 and 33, which are secured to the cabinet-top |2, there are provided two lower angle brackets 66 and 61, which are secured to the leg members I4 and I6 and also to the shelf H by means of a plurality of wood screws 68. The horizontal web of each angle bracket 66- and 61 has an elongated hole 69, the longer dimension of which extends in the same direction as the longitudinal dimension of the sewing machine cabinet Each of the upper brackets 30 and 32 are provided with a cylindrical hole H, and when the raising and lowering mechanism is assembled in the cabinet, the lower brackets 66 and 61 are positioned in such a manner that each hole 69 is located vertically below one of the holes 1|.

A slide rod 12 extends vertically from the bracket 66 through the hole 4| to the bracket 3|], and opposite ends of the rod, whichare both reduced in diameter, enter the holes 69 and 1|. In like manner a slide rod 13 extends from the bracket 61 through the opening 52 to the bracket 32, and opposite ends of the rod enter the holes 69 and 1 I. From this it can be seen that the lower ends of the rods 12 and 13 are free to move slightly laterally for self-positioning purposes.

A sewing machine carrying-platform 14 is slidably mounted for vertical movement on the rods 12 and 13. Tothis end, vertically disposed guidesleeves 16- are suitably secured to two angle-bar end-rails 11 and 18 of the platform 14. Cushion springs 19 (Fig. 3) embrace the guide-sleeves 16 and are each supported by a pair of Z-shaped brackets 8|, each bracket being held in position by a screw 82 threaded into the under side of the end-rails 11 and 18. The end-rails 11 and 18 are connected by front and rear angle-bar rails 83 and 84 respectively, and each of the latter carries a sewing machine positioning angle-bracket 86. An intermediate rail 81 extends between and is carried by the two rails 83 and 84, and the inter mediate rail carries an adjustable sewing machine clamp 88, which canbe secured to the rail 81 in machine holding position by screwing a thumb nut 89 onto a threaded stud 9|. When the nut 89 and clamp 88 are loosened, the sewing machine l0 can be removed from the platform 14, thus making the sewing machine available as a portable unit. A tray 92, for holding bobbins and other appurtenances, extends between and is supported from the rails 11, 83, 84 and 81. Also each of the end-rails 11 and 18 is apertured by a pair of rectangular holes 93 functioning as keepers which are arranged to be engaged by the latching members or hooks 46 in a manner hereinafter described.

Special attention is directed to Fig. 2 wherein the particular shape and position of the hooks 46 and the holes 93 are most advantageously shown. Each hook 46 has a pointed upstanding finger portion for entering one of the holes 63 and also has a flat portion I98 for supporting the platform 14. It will be noted that the weight of the sewing machine I!) and the platform 14 tends to open the hooks 46, but due to the latching or hooking action of the fingers 95 in holes 93 on opposite ends of the platform, tension develops in the platform members. This force acts on the finger portions 95 and maintains the hooks in supporting position, thus preventing the platform from being lowered until it has first been raised a sufficient distance to clear the top of the hook portions 95. To this end, each of the depending arms 42, 43, 53 and 54 has a vertically cutaway portion 94 which allows the platform 14 to be raised a short distance above the top of the fingers 95 without moving the arms. The fact that the books 46 cannot be moved until the platform 14 is raised, assures against accidental release and thus accidental dropping of the sewing machine and the platform into the storage cabinet Attention is also directed to the relative location of the cam surface 41 and the outer edge 96 of the rail 11. When the sewing machine l0 and the platform l4 are in the process of being raised from the lowermost position to the raised position, the edge 96 engages the surface 41 thereby pivotally moving the support 39 on the journal pins 38. This causes the link 49 to be shifted longitudinally of its length and thereby to pivotally turn the link connector 6| against the action of the spring 63. Movement of the connector 6| causes longitudinal movement of the link 56, which in turn pivotally moves the support 5| on the journal pins 38 of the brackets 32 and 33. This automatically moves the four hooks 46 out of the vertical line of movement of the platform 14 and allows the platform to be raised to the fully raised position. When the platform 14 has been fully raised the biasing spring 63 moves the arms 42, 43, 53 and 54 to the supporting position shown in Fig. 1 by solid lines.

Figs. 4 and 6 show that the lower end of the rod 12 (and this also applies to the rod 13) is not rigidly secured to the bracket 61, but due to the elongated hole 69, a slight lateral movement of the rod l2 (and also rod 13) is permitted. This movement of the rods 12 and 13' compensates for minor dimensional inaccuracies of the cabinet or mechanism, and also allows for any shrinkage that may occur as the cabinet ages.

In order to lower the sewing machine In from the working position, atop the cabinet to the stored position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1 it is simply necessary to grasp the sewing machine Iii with the right hand s1 and to lift the machine and platform l4 asuifici'ent distance to disengage the rectangular holes 93 fromengagement by the hooks 46. At the same time, theleft hand 98 is used to press the hook operating bar 38. This causes the arms 42 and 013 to pivot on the pins 38. The lower'end of the arm 42 enters a recess 98 appropriately provided in the leg l4, and both hooks 46 move outwardly from their positions below the rail 52. Movement of the arm '13 operates the link as, link connector 6!, link support 5!, and arms 53 and 54. Movement of the latter moves both hooks 46 from .their position below the rail 18. When this has occurred, it is possible to lower the sewing machine and platform into the storage cavity provided in the cabinet II. should the sewing machine be accidentally dropped, after the hooks havebeen released, the springs 18 will prevent damage that might otherwise occur to the sewing machine or cabinet.

In order to raise the sewing machine from the lowered or stored position, shown by dottedlines in Fig. 1, it is simply necessary to remove the cover top (not shown) from the cabinet, reach through the aperture 53 and then lift the sewing machine It and the platform M. During this operation (see Fig. 4) the edge 96 of the rail l1 engages'the cam surface 41 and thereby moves and holds the hooks 46 out of the .line of travel of the rails ll! and 18 until the platform has been raised. When the sewing machine and platform have reached their uppermost position, the tension spring 63, functioning through the links 39 and 56 moves the arms 42, 43, 53, 54 and their hooks 46 to the closed :position. Then the sewing machine and platform are slightly lowered until the hooks as are in looking or latching engagement with the holes 93. (See Fig 2.) In this position, it is impossible (due to the engagement of the hooks ,6 with the holes 93) for the arms 42, 43, 53, 5 3 and their hooks 46 to become inadvertently unlatched.

Figs. '7 to 11 illustrate ,a modified form of sewing machine raising and lowering mechanism, in which most of the brackets, operating links, and rods are secured to the movable platform instead of being secured to the wooden cabinet as in the previously described embodiment of .the invention. Many elements of the mechanism appear in both of the illustrated structures, and therefore, parts that are identical or perform substantially the same functions in bothconstructions will be designated by the same reference numeral, but in the modified form the numeral will be followed by the exponent m.

The raising and lowering mechanism of the modified embodiment of the invention comprises a pair of brackets H]! and I 02 which are secured to the under face 34' of the apertured cabinet top 12* by Wood screws 28*. Each end of each bracket llll and I02 has a vertically depending arm 31*, the lower end of which is bent outwardly to provide a horizontally disposed latch lug I03. A pair of slide rods 12* and 13 extend downmembers, and a J-shapcd hook pivotally carried wardly from holes H whlchare provided in the center ofreach bracket "H and H12, and a sewing machine carrying platform Hi is slidably mounted for vertical movement on these rods. This platform has a pair of angle-bar end rails 'I'l and 18 which are connected by front and back angle rails 83 and 84 At bothcnds of the upwardly disposed flanges of the rails 83 and 84 are holes IM to journal left and right latch carrying shafts H16 and H17. At opposite ends of the shaft I06 are mounted upstanding latch members I08 and I09, whereas opposite ends of the shaft I01 mount upstanding latch members Ill and I 12, A means for securing each latch to its shaft-end is provided, and includes a noncircular hole in the latch fitted to a non-circular end or the shaft, and a screw H3 that enters a threaded hole coaxially tapped into the shaft.

Each of the four latches has a hooked member 46 which comprises a cutaway portion 94", a horizontal fiat surface mu and a depending finger 95 In addition, the front left hand latch 108 has an inclined cam surface 41 and a horizontally extending arm I I4; the'latter carrying a finger pad I I6, by the operation of which the four latches may be moved to the unlatched position. The left hand rear latch I09 is provided with a depending arm H1 that is bent backwardly degrees, twisted, and then formed into a pivot pin 48 for entering a hole in a releasing link 49*. In like manner, the right hand rear latch H I has a depending arm which is bent backwardly 90 degrees, twisted, and then formed into a pivot pin 48 for entering a hole in a second releasing link 56*. The front right hand latch H2 acts merely as a latch, and is not provided with additional arms or levers.

The links 49 and 56 extend from opposite ends of the carrying platform W toward a central point where holes 51 and 58 therein are entered by pivot ends 59 and 60 of a link connector El The link connector is pivotally mounted on a rivet 52 the rivet being carried by the upstanding flange of the rear rail 84". A tension spring 63 (Figs. 7 and 10) extends between an offset arm w carried by the rail 83' and an end of the link connector fil thereby biasing the connector, the links and the latches to the closed position best shown in Fig. '7. An upstanding stop lug a is engaged by the link connector Hi and thereby limits its motion in a clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 7.

When the platform Hi is in the position shown in Fig. '7, the weight of the platform and a sewing machine carried thereby, tends to hold the latches in their closed position thus preventing the platform from being lowered until it has first been raised a distance sufficient to cause the bottom of the fingers to be well above the latch lugs I03.

While I have illustrated the present invention as applied to a specific sewing machine and as applied to a specific cabinet, it is to be understood that the invention is equally applicable to other types of sewing machines and cabinets.

Having thus set forth the nature of the invention, what I claim herein is:

1. A sewing machine cabinet comprising an apertured fixed cabinet-top member, a pair of legs supporting said cabinet-top member, a shelf connecting said legs at a point below said cabinettop member, a pair of upstanding rods extending between said shelf and said cabinet-top member, a sewing machine carrying member slidably movable on said rods, a latch means on one of said by the other of said members and arrangedto engage latch means on the first of said members,

said hook having a finger portion locking said pivotal hook in engaging position while it is supporting said platform and said hook also havin between said shelf member and said cabinet-top, an apertured sewing machine carrying platform slidably movable on said rods, and a pair of J- shaped hook members pivotally carried by said cabinet-top; said hook members having a finger portion arranged to engage said apertured carrying platform, and also having vertical cutaway portions which permit raising said platform a short distance without moving said hook memhas .3. A raising and lowering mechanism for use with a sewing machine cabinet comprising, a

sewing machine carrying platform mounted for vertical movement in said cabinet, a plurality of latch lugs secured to said sewing machine :cabinet, and a plurality of latch members pivotally supported by said sewing machine carrying plat form and arranged to engage said latch lugs when said sewing machine carrying platform is in a raised position, and a manually operable mechanism for simultaneously pivoting said plurality of latch members, said mechanism being inef- .fective for moving said latch members when said latch members are supporting the weight of said platform and providing for moving said latch members simultaneously when the weight of said platform is removed from said latch members.

4. In a sewing machine cabinet, a sewing machine supporting platform mounted for vertical movement in said cabinet, a plurality of spaced movable latch members for supporting said platform in a predetermined position, spaced members engaged by said movable latch members, a mech-, 5

members for simultaneous movement, and a finger portion on each of said movable latch members, some of said members being carried on said cabinet and other of said members being carried.

on said platform and said finger portions locking said movable latch members in latching engagement while they are supporting said platform.

5. In a sewing machine cabinet, a sewing machine supporting platform of rectangular form .mounted for vertical movement in said cabinet,

four pivoted latch members supported from said cabinet and positioned approximately the same distance apart as the four corners of said sewing machine supporting platform, keeper members located adjacent the four corners of said platform, a hook carried by each of said pivoted latch members and each hook engageable with one of said keeper members thereby to support the anism connecting said plurality of movable latch V platform in such a manner that when the weight of said platform is thus carried said latch members will be maintained in latching engagement, and a manually operable mechanism, including a pair of links and a pivoted link connector interposed therebetween, for simultaneously operating all of said pivoted latch members, said mechanism being ineffective for moving said latch members when said latch members are supporting the weight of said platform and providing for moving said members simultaneously when the weight of said platform is removed from said latch members.

6. The combination with a sewing machine cabinet including an apertured horizontal cabi net-top having a lower face, and supporting leg members with a back and shelf connecting said leg members, of a raising and lowering mechanism, comprising, means for rigidly supporting a portion of said mechanism from said lower face of said cabinet top, non-rigid means for supporting a portion of said mechanism from said shelf, saidnon-rigid means including a bracket secured to said shelf and having an elongated hole therein, and a vertically extending rod of which the lower end enters said elongated hole formed in said bracket carried by said shelf.

7. A raising and lowering mechanism for use with a sewing machine, comprising, a cabinet member, a sewing machine carrying platform member mounted for movement within said cabinet member, a keeper carried by one of said members, a pivotally supported device carried by the other of said members and so constructed and arranged as to engage said keeper and thereby support said platform member within said cabinet member, and a finger formed integral with said pivotally supported device, said finger being of such configuration as to engage said keeper thereby preventing disengaging pivotal movement of said pivotally supported device while said pivotally supported device is supporting said plat form member, and said pivotally supported device having a cutaway portion that permits movement of said platform member thereby allowing disengagement of said finger from said keeper.

DANIEL H. CHASON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 328,475 Ford Oct. 20, 1885 560,380 Troyke May 19, 1896 962,700 Davis June 28, 1910 1,289,988 Whitcomb Dec. 31, 1918 1,328,169 Leatherman Jan. 13, 1920 1,766,193 Schmitz June 24, 1930 1,888,034 Frankel Nov. 15, 1932 2,247,380 Hohmann July 1, 1941 2,328,316 Webb .2 Aug. 31, 1948 2,428,211 Fox Sept. 30, 1947 

